[moprabbit]

I've never been very good at this type of injection. I've always done it in the neck and I've seen my vet do it just behind the fore leg. I just wondered if you can give this type of injection on the side of the body near the ribs, as I feel I can hold them better. I also think I've seen a vet inject there.Any advice greatly appreciated. Thank you

[SallyintNorth]

Yes you can give it over the ribs.  When you inject calcium you can only give 10ml per site, so end up using most of the possible locations!

The only thing I'd mention is that you can sometimes get abcesses where you've injected, and therefore injecting in skin which isn't wool-covered is preferable if possible.  Otherwise you can get damage at shearing time, with an abcess getting nicked by the clippers.

[Backinwellies]

The only thing I'd mention is that you can sometimes get abcesses where you've injected, and therefore injecting in skin which isn't wool-covered is preferable if possible.  Otherwise you can get damage at shearing time, with an abcess getting nicked by the clippers.

With my LLanwenogs the only non wool covered skin is their nose! .... I'm usually fighting 4 inches of wool at this time of year 

[Rosemary]

With my LLanwenogs the only non wool covered skin is their nose! .... I'm usually fighting 4 inches of wool at this time of year 

Ditto Ryelands

[Womble]

injecting in skin which isn't wool-covered is preferable if possible.

Just make sure it's not somewhere like right up an armpit, where an abscess would rub sore.

[Marches Farmer]

I was taught to "make a little tent" of loose skin and inject into the base of it.  I use a short, fine gauge needle, clean one for each sheep, and rub the injection site to disperse the adjuvant.  I inject in the neck and it's where the sheep have least wool at this time of year.  If I have to give two injections in fairly short succession (Ovivac P Plus, for example) I inject first in the left side and then in the right.

[moprabbit]

Thanks for the replies. I injected one of my ewes today with Metacam and did it over her ribs where I could pinch a bit of skin to make a tent. It was much less stressful for her and me!

[Tim W]

Thanks for the replies. I injected one of my ewes today with Metacam and did it over her ribs where I could pinch a bit of skin to make a tent. It was much less stressful for her and me!
[/quote

Hint: Make sure you do it with the needle pointing forward (towards the head) so that if they move they don't back onto the needle

The sterimatic auto injectors are great if you are doing more than a few sheep and want a clean needle every time

[Womble]

I was taught to "make a little tent" of loose skin and inject into the base of it.

Yes, and that's what all the textbooks say. I don't know why, but our sheep just don't do 'loose skin'. You can get some of the way there by bending the neck towards you, but then they tend to struggle, which isn't ideal. There's also a hell of a depth of wool to get through before you can find the sheep underneath.

Nowadays, we also often inject over the ribs, and use a sterimatic for anything more than a few sheep. The reason for this is as much to making accidental self-injection harder as it is to improve hygiene.

[twizzel]

Part the fleece, pinch the skin and pull it outwards to make a tent, then inject into it.  Be careful not to go right through to the other side. That's how I've always done subcut injections. Metacam into where the neck meets the shoulder on the top, or calciject under the skin on the ribs in 2 places.

[dixie]

I've always injected in the neck but they seem more likely to get an abscess, my shearer advised injecting behind the front leg which I've done the last 2 years, if they get a lump it seems to drain and dry without a problem as there's no fleece, it's worked much better for my lot.

[Foobar]

+1 for sterimatic.  Did some without it the other day and instantly stabbed myself lol.